Chain Reaction/Multi-vehicle

Cappetta Law Offices is a trusted personal injury law firm in Massachusetts. Our offices in Natick and Framingham provide around-the-clock service, charging no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you. I am devoted to helping victims injured in chain-reaction/multi-vehicle car accidents and other traffic collisions caused by negligence. Call me today for a free consultation to get started.

Bumper Cars in Traffic

Chain-reaction accidents refer to collisions involving multiple vehicles that crash into each other from the force of an initial impact. They are common in urban centers, where bumper-to-bumper traffic provides the perfect set-up for a "domino" effect. Simple rules of physics describe motion and velocity as forces exerting pressure on individual objects. An object at rest or in motion is therefore vulnerable to these forces. The impact travels through the object to exert force of on objects nearby. When vehicles are lined up together, the initial force necessary to travel through them need not be strong; a light bump will cause the car in front to collide with others, until the motion is stopped by outweighing forces of mass and gravity. This is why chain-reaction and multi-vehicle collisions can cause extensive damage and injury.

Potential Causes of Chain-Reaction Accidents

In car accidents involving multiple vehicles, there is typically at least one driver at fault. The initial driver may set off a chain-reaction by providing the initial force necessary to move other cars. These collisions may be caused by a variety of factors, including:

Intoxication

Inexperience

Cell phone use

Delayed braking

Distracted driving

Following too closely

Use of wrong car pedal

Sudden stop in heavy traffic

Failure to leave sufficient buffer

Swerving to prevent another accident

Role of Negligence in Multiple-Car Collisions

Most single or multiple-car accidents are caused by negligence. Under personal injury law, negligence refers to the breach of a legal duty owed to another. Because motorists have a duty to safely operate their vehicles, any form of careless driving breaches that duty. When negligent driving causes an accident resulting in injury, the party at fault is liable for all damages arising out of the negligence. In chain-reaction and multiple-car collisions, this may mean compensating multiple parties for their medical expenses, lost income, and other damages.

These cases are often complicated by various victims and insurers that argue over each party's portion of liability. Some motorists, for example, could have contributed to their own injury because they were too distracted or intoxicated to react. In these cases, courts will apportion fault to the various parties and reduce their total award of damages accordingly. The parties may also file cross-complaints against each other for damages. The different insurers will wage their own battle against the alleged victims and other insures, claiming that their policy excludes liability for the accident. The court will then have to interpret the contract to make a finding about coverage.

Seek Legal Counsel to File an Injury Claim

If you were injured in a chain-reaction/multiple-vehicle collision, contact a Massachusetts car accident lawyer for help. Never sign a waiver or give a statement to the other motorist's insurer without consulting an attorney first. Cappetta Law Offices works diligently to protect your rights and ensure you receive full compensation for your harm. Our offices in Natick and Framingham serve personal injury clients in Middlesex County and Massachusetts. Make an appointment for a free consultation with me, and rest assured that you have nothing to lose. You pay absolutely nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Let a personal injury lawyer handle the complexities of warring drivers and insurance companies at no cost to you. Call (508) 969-9505 for a free consultation or contact us online.